Baseball

VCU HOLDS OFF TOWSON, 7-4, TO PICK UP THIRD STRAIGHT CAA SERIES WIN

Apr 10, 2010

TOWSON, Md. – Virginia Commonwealth
University held off a late Towson University rally and defeated the
Tigers 7-4 Saturday afternoon in the second game of a three-game
set at John B. Schuerholz Park. VCU picks up its third
straight Colonial Athletic Association series win.

First place VCU improves to 17-14 overall and 7-1
in CAA play, while Towson falls to 9-22, 5-6 in conference
action.

Freshman righthander Kyle
Haynes improved to 3-1 on the season after he
scattered seven hits and allowed just two runs in 7.0 innings of
work. Senior Robby Andrews tossed the final
1.1 innings to pick up his team-leading fifth save of the
season. Towson starter Nate Curd suffered his sixth straight
loss and falls to 0-6 on the year.

VCU got on the board with a pair of runs in its
first trip to the plate. Gonzalez and Otto contributed
back-to-back singles with one out and moved into scoring position
following a wild pitch by Curd. Van Meter slid a ground ball
through the hole at shortstop and Lenherr lifted a sacrifice fly
into right field and the Rams went ahead early 2-0.

Senior Michael
Cheatham scored on an error in the top of the second
before five straight batters reached to start the third and VCU
plated three runs on four hits to extend its lead to 6-0.

Austin Harclerode would end the Rams' 23.1 inning
conference scoreless streak as he sent an RBI single up the middle
and pulled Towson within 6-1 in the fourth. Haynes
surrendered singles to Kevin Collins and Chris Wychock to start the
frame before Harclerode came through with his one-out hit.

Sophomore Taylor
Perkins then found the gap in left center with one out
in the fifth, which scored classmate Brent
Mikionis from first, and VCU took a 7-1 advantage.

Haynes allowed a leadoff double to Rice to start
the seventh and Nick Natoli sent an RBI single into right and
Towson pulled within 7-2. The Tigers had an opportunity to
cut into the VCU lead but left the bases loaded.

Junior Jonathon Watson relieved
Haynes in the eighth and issued a leadoff walk to Harclerode and a
one-out infield single to Weller. Ben Winter then cleared the
bases with a two-out double over the head of Nice in left field and
Towson pulled within 7-4. However, Andrews came to the rescue
and induced a ground ball to end the Tigers' threat.